A potted history of Britain and curry

If there is one food which has dominated the British palate the past 20 years and virtually become an institution, it is curry.

A history of curry in ten bites…

1. The first Indian restaurant

Exactly how curry got its label and when it was introduced to these shores probably deserves a book of its own. What is on record is that Indian food – or at least a distant cousin of how we know it today – began to be served in the coffee houses of the mid to late 18th century. The first bona fide Indian restaurant, the Hindostanee Coffee House, launched by Dean Mahomed, opened in 1809, near London’s Portman Square. Sadly, despite being a success initially, Mahomed filed for bankruptcy three years later. 

2. Introduction of the tandoor

“The Veeraswamy, which still exists today, opened in 1926, and was the country’s first upmarket Indian restaurant, serving a dozen or so fiery curries,” says Pat Chapman, founder of the Curry Club. Next came The Punjab (Covent Garden) in 1947, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the first tandoor ovens appeared in London. 

3. The Coronation

Curry, or at least a milder, royally acceptable version of it, featured in the Queen’s Coronation in 1952. Following the demise of the Empire in the 60s and 70s, Britain saw a major influx of Asian migrant communities from the subcontinent and also parts of Africa. Many Pakistani communities for instance settled in the industrial heartland, in cities such as Bradford and Birmingham. Subsequently we saw the birth of balti cuisine. 

4. Patak’s meets the demand

A few entrepreneurs began to cater for this growing interest in cooking authentic Indian food at home. In 1958 Gujurati-born Lazmishankar G. Pathak opened a small shop at 134 Drummond Street, London - still a shop though no longer connected to Patak’s - selling spices and Indian ingredients. In 1962 they diversified into making sauces and pickles, as well as dropping the ‘h' in the brand name and becoming Patak’s. By 1978 Patak’s products were stocked in the nascent supermarkets and groceries up and down the land. Indian food was becoming more democratic, accessible for people to cook at home, and, most importantly, enjoyable.

5. A revolution in home cooking

The late 70s and early 80s also saw Indian cook Madhur Jaffrey present various TV series on Indian cuisine, which resulted in Indian food becoming an almost overnight success story. Suddenly, the Great British public was craving exotic and adventurous flavours.

6. Britain’s first modern Indian restaurant

Along came the rise of the young urban professional. With it, the launch of what is still regarded as Britain’s first modern Indian restaurant – the Bombay Brasserie. Vast and opulent, the restaurant brought regional Indian cooking and plenty of Hollywood stars with it.

7. A nation of curry-holics

For many of us today, the weekly curry is an institution. Whether we head out on the town, or sit down with family at home around the table or in front of the TV, a curry is a great dish for sharing.

8. First chop one onion 

One of the beauties of Indian food is that it's simple to prepare. Even if you're not a dab hand in the kitchen, you can usually turn out a good curry. Spice pastes and sauces are invaluable to the novice cook, but they can also act as a base on which to build other flavours for the more experienced in the kitchen.

9. India on a plate

When Mrs Beeton wrote about Indian food in her eponymous book, dishes featured a rather generic 'curry' sauce made with powder. These days we can choose from the hot spicy curries from the south featuring coconut, lime and chillies to the mild creamy dishes from the north of the country featuring cream, nuts and fruit. 

10. The best is yet to come

 So now we have more choice than ever, whether that’s at home, in a friendly neighbourhood curry houses, or at fine dining restaurants in big cities. The popularity of curry will keep on growing.

Do you have a favourite curry dish? Do you go doolally for dopiaza or mad for Madras? Let us know in the comments box below...

Also worth your attention:

Win a trip of a lifetime to India

Great recipes from Anjali Pathak

Recipes using Patak's pastes from Maunika Gowardhan